The present invention relates to the treatment of ailments in humans and other mammals, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for delivering pharmaceutical compounds and genes into the endothelial cells of a patient.
Endothelial cells are in direct contact with the blood stream and cover almost one thousand square meters of the inner surface of the blood cells of a human. Damage to endothelial cells has been linked to cardiovascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis and high blood pressure. Endothelial cell damage may result from surgical procedures such as heart transplantation. More commonly damage to this type of cells is caused by balloon angioplasty and routing of the blood vessels with rotary and laser catheters. These procedures are frequently used to remove blockage in the coronary arteries, however, the resulting trauma and scarring to the lumen walls can lead to rapid return of fatty deposits and a recurrence of blockage. Genetic modification of the endothelial cells might correct the damage caused by surgical procedures and could reduce the rate of deposit of low density cholesterol before and after surgical procedures. Insertion of drugs directly into the endothelial cells might alleviate problems associated with damage to these cells.